Mike Rice was fired without cause, said Rutgers President Robert Barchi. Without cause means that Rutgers will play 75 percent of the remaining salary Rice had left on his deal. Over the next two years, Rutgers will play the coach fired on Wednesday $1.0875 million.

This report came from Mike Vorkunov of the Star-Ledger/NJ.com. It is unclear why Rice was fired without cause, but that is what Barchi said during Friday’s press conference, repeatedly.

“The coach was not fired for cause,” Barchi said today during his press conference. “The outside counsel says that could not be done … I fired him. Not for cause. I just fired him.”

NJ.com posted a portion of Rice’s contract, stating what is grounds for termination on Friday afternoon:

“Material breach of this contract (won-loss record shall not constitute material breach), neglect of duty, willful misconduct, act(s) of moral turpitude, conduct tending to bring shame or disgrace to the University as determined in good faith by the Director of Intercollegiate Athletics, violation of University regulations, policies, procedures or directives not remedied after thirty (30) days written notice,…criminal conviction, or unapproved absence from duty, other than for a bona fide use of sick leave in accordance with University policy, without the consent of the director.”

An independent report was conducted by John Lacey, the special counsel for Connell Foley LLP in December, according to USA Today. In that report, the Director of Athletics Tim Pernetti could have fire Rice for cause.

“We believe there is sufficient evidence to find that certain actions of Coach Rice did ‘cross the line’ of permissible conduct and that such actions constituted harassment or intimidation within Rutgers’ Policy, Section 60.1.13.

“Furthermore, due to the intensity with which Coach Rice engaged in some of the misconduct, we believe that AD Pernetti could reasonably determine that Coach Rice’s actions tended to embarrass and bring shame or disgrace to Rutgers in violation of Coach Rice’s employment with Rutgers.”